Screen Printing Tips and Tricks

Hello there! Today I want to share some screen printing tips with you all. I did this on my Instagram account a few months back, so I'm going to copy most of that here but include some more info for you!

I am contacted regularly about silk screening, and I love sharing tips with people! There are a lot of small businesses out there trying to create brands and they are paying local printers to do this, which is totally ok if you have the budget to do so! But if you're starting with a shoestring budget like I did, then DIY is the way to go!

When I got started, I was really nervous about it. And I tried desperately to find info on various groups, message boards, etc. and I had a hard time getting some straight answers. SO. I'm going to cover some basics here, and please comment below if you have ANY questions!

First things first, you need to have your designs. For me, I draw everything by hand and then digitize it. You may do things in Photoshop, totally up to you! When your artwork is complete, have it printed onto transparencies (I use two and tape them together with clear tape). 

I will try to outline the steps here in my own words, I I recommend a book called Silk Screening Basics - A Complete How-to Handbook. This is how I learned and I really loved it. I refer to it still even now.

But, these are the basic steps, so let's get started!

Supplies:

• Transparency of your artwork
• Silk screens (I often order from Amazon)
• Photo emulsion kit
• Fabric ink (I love ordering from Desserres)
• Squeegee (I use a smaller version of this one)
• Lamp (or, you can use natural light but it's tricky)
• A light tight box (I used one I had on hand and taped/covered all seams)
• Piece of glass (I used one from a picture frame)
• Black cloth or an old t shirt
• Blank item you want to silk screen on
• Spatulas (I buy mine from the dollar store)
• Iron

Steps:

1. The night before you want to print, you want to coat your new silk screen in the photo emulsion. Follow the kit steps to mix it, then coat the screen. Run a thin bead across the top of the screen and pull it down using your squeegee. Flip and repeat, flip and repeat, until you have it nicely covered with no empty spots.
2. Place the screen in your light tight box, and let it dry overnight (or for a good few hours).
3. When you're ready to burn your design, set up yur lamp according to the box directions, have it all set up but dn't plug it in yet.
4. Go into a dark room, and take your screen out. The light can't hit the screen yet, so you have to sort of fumble through this part. Put your screen face down, then place your artwork on the back (backwards), and put the glass on top. Put it all back in the box.
5. Bring everything to where you set your lamp up. Place your black cloth on the ground (this will prevent light reflecting and messing with your image), turn on your lamp, and quickly place your screen/design directly below it. Make sure at this point you set up your timer! (The time you burn your screen is included with the light kit)
6. If you don't have a lamp and don't want one - you can do everything above and just take your screen outside. It's not foolproof, and you may have to redo your screen, but I did several in the natural light and found that about five minutes worked for me. You do NOT need a sunny day, overcast will work just fine.
7. As soon as your time is done, quickly bring your screen to your shower and direct the water at the design. This part can take a bit of time, but soon your design will begin to reveal itself!
8. Once your design is nice and crisp, dry it off with a papertowel, and place it outside for at least 20 minutes. This step really hardens the remaining emulsion, giving you a screen that will last years! I have been printing regaularly for nearly two years now and the only screens I've ever had to redo are the ones that I did in the natural light, back when I had no idea what I was doing. I REALLY recommend the lamp you guys, seriously, just get it.
9. Now the easy part - printing!! Take your screen, and place it on top of your blank clothing item. I place something in between to pro the blank up towards the screen, you want nice tight contact. You can use a folded towel under the shirt, a padded ipad case even.
10. Run a small bit of ink across the top of the design with your spatula, and holding your screen nice and firmly, use your squeegee to slide the ink down. Do this only once or twice, but firmly. 
11. Lift the screen up, and you're done! - You may need to experiment here with pressure, amount of ink, etc. Use some scrap fabric or old items you no longer want beofre printing on your good blanks!
12. Let your item dry completely, at least an hour or two.
13. Run your iron over it for a couple of minutes (I put a thin cottom cloth between the ink and iron) to heat set the design and make it resistant to fading in the wash.
14. THE END.

Here are some little extra tips I've learned along the way.

• Watch a lot of Youtube. There are tons of video tutorials on there to help you with each step. 
• Don't make your own screens. I mean, ok, fine, you can. But, I don't recommend that because if you use them a lot they take a bit of a beating, and they need to be PERFECTLY square in order to sit nice and flat. But that's just my opinion :) 
• If you are printing and ink comes through where it shouldn't, I use a heavy threaded tape to patch the area. You can buy screen filler too, but this is just faster and no drying time. 
• Use this tape to tape the edge of the screen, on the back side. Ink tends to squeeze through the edges if you press down hard enough and the emulsion breaks, so this tape protects you from ink bleeds even if that does happen, making your screen stronger.
• If you want to redo your screen after a while, you can buy screen, just replace it! I find that easier than actually using the photo emulsion remover. 
• Wash your screens quickly after each use. Take good care of them so they last a long time.
• You can use any colour of ink on the same screen (for example, I print my grizzly bear in both black and white), just again make sure you thoroughly wash it in between and let it dry.
• Only print with a bone dry screen, don't rush it, or your ink could bleed.

That about covers it! If I can ever help you, just email me thewildkidsapparelATgmail.com or comment below! 

Thanks so much for reading you guys!!! Happy printing!! 

The Wild featured on Bluebird Kisses

Ana over at Bluebird Kisses featured The Wild on her Small Business thursday series! I'm SO honoured! Take a look for more behind the scenes pics and a little interview.

As she mentions in her post, she and I will be working together to host a BIG giveaway to celebrate the launch of The Wild. Stay tuned, and make sure you are following us both on Instagram (Ana and me)

Ana has been a huge supporter of not only my business venture but other small business owners out there. She is so encouraging and always wants to help spread the word, she's truly a selfless, amazing person and I am one of her absolute biggest fans. OH! And she's going to be opening her very own shop soon, Rufus + Murdog, which will feature an amazing collection of cool finds for babies and kids (including us of course!) so follow along with the shop here. (Side note - guess who illustrated the dogs in her logo? Three guesses...)

T H E W I L D | Modern apparel for hip kids.

Hello! So I've been alluding here and there to a project that I've been working on for ever (and ever) and it's all finally out in the open. This has been a labour of love to say the least...what an adventure. I'm so SO happy it's all launched!



So, a little back-story. Years ago I had been painting and had created some characters for Ben's room. People started asking for them and things began to snowball. I had this crazy idea that it would be so wonderful to create something really cool with these drawings of mine. 

Countless sketchbooks and notebooks and months (years) later, this is where I'm starting. And seriously, starting is the key word. For now, we are offering baby clothes, kids clothes and accessories. There are so many more things I will be adding. Stay tuned! But for now, check out what we have!!

















This is just a little peek, you can see more on our website here and our Etsy shop here. Also, you can follow along with us:

✚ INSTAGRAM /// @thewildkidsapparel

✚ FACEBOOK /// facebook.com/thewildkidsapparel

✚ TWITTER /// @thewildkidsapp

✚ PINTEREST /// pinterest.com/thewildkids/

We plan on adding more products, different characters, running some fun contests....eee I can't wait!!

This project was not done alone. I could NOT have done any of this without Billy, who has been my sounding board, my constant support, my photographer, my complete partner. I want to do this for him and for our kids. I want Ben and Sawyer to see that Mommy works hard too, and if all goes well I too can be contributing to our family. Taking these years to be home with the boys has been a DREAM and I feel so completely lucky to have been able to do it. It's all because of Billy. But it's time to really seriously integrate work into my life, and balance that with my mom duties. This balance is something I've been really needing and I'm happier than ever when I have work to do. Ask anyone. I'm strange.

My Mom and Dad. Those two. I can't begin to describe how much they help and support me, encourage me, motivate me. It's because of them that I applied to school again, to this amazing semi-secret program that has helped me make this all happen. They are the hardest working people, both small business owners, and they push me to do things that I normally wouldn't think were possible. You guys. Thank you times a billion.

Ben and Sawyer! My handsome little muses. This is ALL because you exist. Not even lying, before you I wasn't sure that I liked kids all that much. Now, I'm sold. Kids rule. You two most of all.

Don, Norine, Cass, Kurt, the family that I married into who are the best ever. You guys are always there for us every step of the way and I don't know what we would do without you. Cass, I'm totally going to need you at my upcoming markets girl. 

To everyone, my family, my friends, everyone who is sick of hearing about this, ALL OF YOU, I'm so very grateful. Not only for being my cheerleaders, for sharing and liking things all over social media. But just for being in my life and for being AWESOME. I never could have imagined I would have the best set of people in the universe surrounding me. It's the best.

Anyway, I love you guys. Straight up for real. You get it.

xo

So. Ya. Worst blogger. Ever.

I've been busy you guys. It sounds so funny to write 'you guys' as if anyone is reading, but maybe I'm still stuck in someone's Feedly or something and like three or four people will see this? Well, I have a decent enough reason for my absence. Ready for a story? Grab a tea.

Ok, so year ago, after Ben was born, I got really, really into painting and drawing. More so than ever. So, for a while I was painting. Then I was painting more. Then I was painting stuff for kids. And drawing characters for Ben. And the ideas were really flowing.

I decided I wanted to open a business focused solely on my children's illustrations. I had a million product ideas, and I thought I could really make something of it. And then, Sawyer happened. Lovely, incredibly cute Sawyer. So, sidetracked! The best kind of sidetrack :)

Anyway.....Sawyer arrived, we got used to being a family of four, and the idea returned. And I knew it was time to make things happen.

After speaking with my Mom and Dad, they convinced me to look into this amazing government program that, if you're selected, helps you create a business plan, and implementation plan, and supports you through the whole process. This program involved in class training, a business coach, and a lot of resources not openly available to the public. Very cool stuff.

Well, I applied. And I was accepted. And I went to school. And I finished school. And now I'm on #689354 of my implementation list. It's all happening friends. For real. In a few weeks (!!!!!) I will be able to actually share the shop details. But for now, I'll just say that it's coming. And I REALLY hope you like it!

So, I am going to keep updating, and soon you'll see everything! And updates on the boys to come, of course!

P.S. That Rad as F//k t-shirt is by the one and only Sara of Top Knot Weddings, and yes, you need to buy one.